There were network evening showing of some big films during prime time, but as Alan said before, there were possibly lots of cuts. Hell, I even remember there was in NYC a 4:30 p.m. movie that, with commercials, showed "Singin' in the Rain" in a 90 minute time slot -- they practically cut out all of Debbie Reynolds' role! I couldn't really have figured out why it was considered such a classic (other than the title number) until I saw it on the big screen at a revival house.
Also, in the late show and late late shows, for the most part, most old movies were from the MGM catalogue, so Judy Garland, Gene Kelly et al. were shown. I don't recall seeing much from Fox, other than Shirley Temple movies, so no real Betty Grable/Alice Faye things (other than Faye co-starring opposite Temple in one) and none of the great Technicolor films. Universal only showed the monster films and Abbott and Costello, but no Deanna Durbin, no Irene Dunne "Show Boat" or Donald O'Connor pre-MGM films, etc. It was really a lot more limited things from various other studios until TCM started on cable. One had to go to revival houses or maybe your college film society would show it, like mine had some rarities I was chomping at the bit to see. |
